Swim safety stressed after child drowns in family pool
It’s that time of year when more people are jumping into the pool to cool off in the desert heat. But swimming safety has been highlighted after two swimming pool emergencies in the Coachella Valley over the last three days.
One child drowned in a family swimming pool in Indio on Friday. Another family dealt with a near-drowning situation at an apartment complex in Palm Desert on Saturday.
“The statistics are that it’s in the 90th percentile range that children under five who drown, it happens within 5 minutes of one or both parents having seen the kids,” Craig Johnson, owner of All-Safe Pool and Safety, told KESQ News Channel 3’s and CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner. “It’s not neglect. It’s a matter of getting distracted,” he said.
Johnson said he has seen it firsthand again and again over the years.
“Every year, two kids under the age of 5 drown. Every year. So in 12 years, that’s 24 kids,” Johnson added.
While there is no surefire way to keep kids safe around large bodies of water, Johnson said parents can take precautions in layers, such as installing a door alarm, a safety gate or a net around the pool. Parents should also get children swim lessons early on.
“A lot of our kids start off swimming with these on,” said Rene Hickey, a swim instructor and director of the Wardman Park Pool in Desert Hot Springs, while holding up a flotation vest.
Hickey, who is also the president of All Desert Aquatics, said the threat of drowning is especially concerning because it can happen quietly.
“They are escape artists and if they have a heart set on going to that pool, they’ll do anything,” she said. “It is called a silent drowning and it is a very, very traumatic experience for the individual,” she added.
Hickey recommended children begin swim lessons as soon as they begin to walk and that parents learn CPR.
Johnson said there are pool safety options for people of all incomes and that he has even invented a temporary gate for renters and people on vacation. You can contact All-Safe Pool and Safety at 800-786-8110.
The Indio Police Department reminded the community that pool safety is a year-round responsibility, especially when young children are present.
Here are the ABCD’s of drowning prevention:
A – Adult supervision, hiring a lifeguard at pool parties
B – Barriers, perimeter fences and securing doggy doors
C – Classes including swim lessons and CPR
D – Devices, having life jackets and rescue tools
More News Headlines from KESQ & CBS Local 2 First Alert Forecast: How hot will it get in the Coachella Valley this week?
